DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Opinion: The ‘rising superpower’ myth about China
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Opinion Peter Bergen | Joel Rayburn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

He was the US Special Envoy for Syria and the senior director for Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon on the National Security Council staff during the Trump administration. After that, China’s National Bureau of Statistics said it would suspend publishing youth unemployment data in the future. What does it signify that China’s national power, which today is vast, is almost certain to be weaker in the future? If Xi and his strategists have a feasible plan for nimbly averting China’s demographic doom, they are keeping very quiet about it. This brings us back to the question of national security strategies for the United States and its allies.

Persons: Peter Bergen, Peter Bergen ”, Joel Rayburn, Trump, Biden, Saddam Hussein’s, Lloyd Austin, China’s, Xi Jinping, Stephen Shaver, ”, Ng Han Guan, Xi, China “, ” Trump Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, American Center for Levant Studies, New America, US, National Security Council, CNN, Strategy, Pentagon, of Defense, Development Research Center, Communist Party, UPI, Manpower, Census Bureau, National Bureau of Statistics, Financial, China’s Southwestern University of Finance, Economics, Rocky, United Nations, Beijing, Pew Research Center, Communist, Trump administration’s National Security, Twitter, Trump Locations: New America, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Washington, China, United States, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, al Qaeda, Ukraine, People’s Republic of China, Beijing, India, Yarkent County, China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Saudi Arabia, USSR, Russia, Russia’s Ukraine, Vietnam, Korea, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong

☆ Finland's ex-PM Marin to join Blair think tank, leave parliament
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FILE PHOTO-Finland's Social Democrats Party Chair, former Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin waves from the stage before her resignation speech at the Party Congress of the Socialdemocrats of Finland in Jyvaskyla, Finland, September 1, 2023. Based on her new position, Marin is formally asking permission to resign from parliament, her centre-left Social Democrats party said. The London-based policy think tank is led by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. "I feel that this assignment is such that it will benefit the whole of Finland as well," Marin told reporters. Marin was the world's youngest prime minister when she took office in 2019 aged 34, attracting attention around the globe and helping lift Finland's profile at a turbulent time.

Persons: Marin, Ulander, Sanna Marin, Tony Blair, Anne Kauranen, Terje Solsvik, Frances Kerry Organizations: Finland's Social, Chair, Party Congress, REUTERS, Rights, Tony, Tony Blair Institute for Global, Social, British, NATO, Thomson Locations: Finland, Jyvaskyla, London, COVID, Ukraine

☆ UK builders suffer sharp fall in orders as rates rise -PMI
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Workers stand on scaffolding at a residential building in London, Britain, March 7, 2016. Builders cited weaker economic conditions, cutbacks to new building projects and local planning delays as factors holding back house-building activity. S&P said total new orders for the construction sector fell at the fastest pace since May 2020. "Resilient demand for commercial work and infrastructure projects are helping to keep the construction sector in expansion mode for now," Moore said. However, forward-looking measures of the construction PMI fell, with business activity expectations for the year ahead the weakest since January.

Persons: Toby Melville, Tim Moore, Moore, Suban Abdulla, William Schomberg, Catherine Evans Organizations: REUTERS, P, P Global Market Intelligence, Builders, Bank of England's, PMI, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In an entertainment industry bent on categorization, Eric Nam finds an audience in fluidity. But he did become enamored with a particular house on a hill and obsessed with the idea of homeownership. Nam wants the song to illuminate that fact — to allow listeners to find what drives them and hold onto it. “I hope that (the song) makes people kind of reframe, reset what happiness means to them," he says. “This is the culmination of 10 years of experience.”“House on a Hill” releases Friday via The Eric Nam Company.

Persons: Eric Nam, he's, Nam, Korea's, It's, “, ” Nam, ”, we’re, —, ” It's Organizations: ANGELES, Boston College, Forbes, Korean, “, Nam, Eric Nam Company Locations: Georgia, New York City, Seoul, South Korea, Asia, U.S

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden turned up in a mask for the first time in months on Tuesday, a day after his wife tested positive for COVID-19. People who are exposed to the coronavirus should wear a mask and monitor for symptoms for 10 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden would be following CDC protocols and would mask indoors unless he was far enough away from someone. The Bidens had COVID-19 last summer, which is about the last time the president wore a mask in public. Officials already are expecting updated COVID-19 vaccines that contain one version of the omicron strain, called XBB.1.5.

Persons: Joe Biden, octogenarians, Biden, Larry Taylor, Jill Biden, COVID, hospitalizations, Karine Jean, Pierre, “, ”, —, Jake Sullivan, we’ve, ” Sullivan, Mike Stobbe Organizations: WASHINGTON, White, Centers for Disease Control, Labor, House, Group, CDC, White House Press, India Locations: Vietnam, Florida, Delaware, Philadelphia, Rehoboth, Virginia, India, Alaska, New York

☆ Finland's Marin, once the world's youngest premier, steps down as party leader
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Essi Lehto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Finland's Social Democrats Party Chair, former Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin waves from the stage before her resignation speech at the Party Congress of the Socialdemocrats of Finland in Jyvaskyla, Finland, September 1, 2023. Marin, who had announced her intention to quit soon after the election loss, was the world's youngest prime minister when she took the post in 2019 aged 34, attracting attention around the globe and helping lift Finland's profile. After her election loss, Marin said she looked forward to a quieter life and later also announced a divorce from her husband. Entering the stage on Friday to the beat of Aretha Franklin's "Respect", Marin thanked her party for its support. She was due to formally hand over the reins later on Friday after the Social Democrats elect a new leader.

Persons: Marin, Ulander, Sanna Marin, succesfully, Aretha Franklin's, Essi, Terje Solsvik, Frances Kerry Organizations: Finland's Social, Chair, Party Congress, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Social Democrats, NATO, Vogue, Time, National Coalition, Finns, Thomson Locations: Finland, Jyvaskyla, COVID, Ukraine, Russia, U.S

☆ Europe's bumper Q2 puts global dividend payouts on track for record year
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

This time around, the surge in global interest rates meant banks contributed half the world's dividend growth and drove a quarter of Europe's increase. At the same time, U.S. dividend growth slowed for the sixth consecutive quarter. "But the positive effect on bank margins from the end of years of ultra-low interest rates is very powerful and is driving dividend payouts". The second quarter marks a seasonal high point for Japanese dividends and payouts there rose 8.4% on an underlying basis. Its largest dividend payer, carmaker Toyota (7203.T), accounted for one third of the underlying increase with a 25% hike, despite lower profits.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Janus Henderson, Ben Lofthouse, Lofthouse, Eli Lilly, Marc Jones, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Companies, Global Equity, UnitedHealth Group, Intel, Blackstone, Toyota, HK, Petrobras, PETR4, Thomson Locations: Europe, Italy, Spain, Britain, Ukraine, U.S, Asia, China, Brazil, Colombia

LONDON, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Crude oil prices have stalled as the wave of hedge fund buying that helped lift them throughout July and the first part of August has been replaced by gentle selling. Hedge funds and other money managers sold the equivalent of 30 million barrels in the six most important petroleum futures and options contracts over the seven days ending on Aug. 22. Nearly all the sales were in crude (-29 million barrels) with sales of NYMEX and ICE WTI (-16 million barrels) and Brent (-13 million barrels), according to position records filed with regulators and exchanges. There was a mix of profit-taking after the previous rally by liquidating existing bullish long positions (-18 million barrels) and speculative short sales (+11 million barrels) in anticipation of future price falls. There are also increasing indications the United States is relaxing sanctions on crude exports from Iran and Venezuela in exchange for diplomatic objectives and to keep a lid on oil prices.

Persons: Brent, John Kemp, Barbara Lewis Organizations: ICE, Henry, U.S . National Oceanic, Prediction Center, CPC, U.S, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Saudi Arabia, Russia, COVID, States, Iran, Venezuela, NYMEX, United States, Pacific, North America

☆ China is doing everything it can to conceal the true extent of its economic turmoil
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Linette Lopez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

China's economy is turning into a big black blob. This is happening because Xi's China is one that puts ideology before economic growth. Not because the reforms weren't working, but because the China they were creating is not the one Xi wants to see. Even as the main drivers of China's economy stumble, there will be no direct support to help households power through this fragile period. Known unknownsTransparency in China's economic data has always moved the same cycles as its politics.

Persons: —, Xi Jinping, it's, Charlene Chu, Xi, who've, It's, Chu, Fan Zhang, Zhang, Xie Huanchi, thegovernment, Victor Shih, Ministry of State Security —, isn't, Shih, Linette Lopez Organizations: Communist, Autonomous Research, Nike, Starbucks, CCP, National Bureau of Statistics, Custom, J Capital Research, Study Times, Getty, World Trade Organization, Century China Center, University of California, Communist Party, Ministry of State Security, Beijing Locations: China, COVID, Xinhua, University of California San Diego, Beijing

☆ How a couple turned a plot of land on the island of Sumba into a 4-level resort with suites and villas that go for up to $1,100 a night
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Claire Turrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Fabrice and Eve Ivara bought a plot of land in 2017 on the wild island of Sumba in Indonesia. Guests can stay in suites and villas on the beach at Cap Karoso for up to $1,100 a night. "I didn't speak any of it at the time, so I learned my speech by heart," Eve Ivara said. They hired a luxury-travel public-relations company to work with the media, and Eve Ivara curated the Instagram page. AdvertisementAdvertisement"Our guests have already done things we haven't yet had the chance to do, as we've been so busy," Eve Ivara said.

Persons: Fabrice, Eve Ivara, Eve, Fabrice Ivara, Moët Hennessy, they'd, Ivara, we'd, Karoso, Gary Fell, Fell, Cap Karoso, couldn't, Philippe Guiglionda, De, lockdowns, we've Organizations: Karoso, Service, KPMG, GFAB Architects, Design Locations: Sumba, Indonesia, Wall, Silicon, France, Spain, Norway, Bali, Seminyak, Maldives, Paris, British, London, Singapore, Indonesian, Karoso, Asia

☆ China's economy is struggling, but it might not be all that bad for the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

US imports from China are down this year, and direct investment in China is a sliver of the US GDP. However, William Lee, the Milken Institute's chief economist, told Insider China's economic stumble might not be all bad for the US. Meanwhile, Chinese imports of US goods, which may continue to slow, amounted to less than 1% of the US GDP, suggesting a reduction in Chinese imports wouldn't drastically harm the US economy. In addition, China's slowing economy has already chipped away at some American companies' revenues, including DuPont's and Danaher's. AdvertisementAdvertisementThough China's economy has been plagued by a number of crises, including low consumer confidence, many Americans may not have to worry about the downturn hurting their wallets.

Persons: Joe Biden, Janet Yellen, William Lee, Milken, Lee, Paul Krugman, —, Luis Torres, it's Organizations: Service, Milken Institute's, US, New York Times, Commerce Department, Federal Reserve, Bank of England, European Central Bank, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, United States, Ukraine, Russia, Europe, Vietnam, India, Mexico, Hong Kong, Canada, American

☆ Factory slump and cost-of-living squeeze puts UK economy on course to shrink
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( David Milliken | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The BoE said earlier this month it only saw inflation falling below 4% from the second quarter of 2024. The PMI survey recorded the slowest growth in output prices since February 2021. Manufacturers - who make up 10% of Britain's economy - reported the biggest fall in output prices since February 2016, echoing wider weakness in the sector. "Companies are reporting reduced orders for goods and services as demand is increasingly hit by the cost-of-living crisis, higher interest rates, export losses and concerns about the economic outlook," Williamson said. Manufacturers said this fall appeared to be an attempt to reduce the need for working capital at a time of rising interest rates.

Persons: Carl Recine, BoE, Queen, Chris Williamson, Sterling, James Smith, P's Williamson, Williamson, David Milliken, William Schomberg, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS, PMI, P, P Global Market Intelligence, Bank of England, ING, Manufacturers, Thomson Locations: Altrincham, Britain

☆ Covid-19 linked with higher risk of high blood pressure, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Giri Viswanathan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —When it comes to developing high blood pressure, Covid-19 might play an outsized role, a new study says. Of the hospitalized Covid-19 patients, more than 1 in 5 developed hypertension during their time in the hospital, while actively infected with Covid-19, despite having no history of high blood pressure. However, in comparison with patients who were infected with the flu, Covid-19 patients had worse blood pressure outcomes. Covid-19 patients who had been hospitalized were 2.23 times as likely to develop high blood pressure as hospitalized influenza patients. But scientists are unsure how the Covid-19 virus might trigger new-onset high blood pressure.

Persons: Covid, Dr, Tim Duong, Sanjay Gupta, ” Duong Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, CNN Health Locations: United States, Bronx, New York City, Covid

☆ Alibaba is so confident Beijing's tech crackdown has ended that it has just listed over 2,000 jobs for fresh graduates
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Alibaba's Taotian Group — which includes Taobao and Tmall — is hiring 2,000 fresh graduates this year. It comes at an opportune time for China's fresh graduates as youth unemployment hit a record high in June. Alibaba's hiring over 2,000 fresh graduates this year – signaling that it views an end to China's tech crackdown. China's unemployment rate for those in the 16 to 24-year-old bracket hit a record high of 21.3% in June — meaning one in five youths were unemployed. The development is a reversal after waves of job cuts in China's tech sector following a regulatory crackdown that started in 2020 and wiped $1.1 trillion off the market value of its Big Tech firms.

Persons: Alibaba's, Alibaba, It's Organizations: Morning, Taotian, China Morning Post, Alibaba Holdings, Big Tech Locations: China —, Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, China

REUTERS/John Sommers II/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 18 (Reuters) - Air cargo enjoyed record demand when COVID-19 closed borders and snarled supply chains. Now, it is reeling from overcapacity and tumbling freight rates as the freight boom makes a hard landing. Passenger jets grounded during the health crisis are flying again and bringing their lower-deck cargo space, which competes with dedicated air freighters, back into play. The Florida-based carrier cited "the unyielding and rapidly mounting macro-economic headwinds that plagued the entire air cargo transportation sector starting in late 2022". In June, air cargo experienced the slowest contraction since February 2022, the International Air Transport Association said.

Persons: John Sommers, Xeneta, they're, Peter Sand, we're, Sand, planemakers, Eddy Pieniazek, expective, Pieniazek, Robert, Tim Hepher, Lisa Bartlein, Allison Lampert, Valerie Insinna, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Parcel Service, UPS, REUTERS, Air, Reuters, Western Global Airlines, Japan Airlines, Xeneta, International Air Transport Association, Ishka, Cathay, HK, Boeing, Airbus, Aeronautical Engineers, Thomson Locations: Louisville , Kentucky, Delaware, Florida, China, Asia, United States, Miami

☆ China Evergrande, the world's most heavily indebted property developer, just filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China Evergrande has filed for US Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection. Chapter 15 protects the US assets of non-US companies undergoing restructurings. Tianji Holdings, an Evergrande affiliate, also sought Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection on Thursday, per the filing. Evergrande's Chapter 15 filing mentions ongoing restructuring proceedings in Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands. Evergrande's Chapter 15 filing came amid fears of widening economic woes in China as the country's real-estate crisis emanates.

Persons: China Evergrande, —, Evergrande, China's, Jimmy Fong Organizations: US, Service, China, Tianji Holdings, Evergrande's, Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Zhongrong International, China Evergrande Group, Bankruptcy, Southern, of Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, Hong Kong, Cayman Islands, Guangzhou, of New York, Manhattan

☆ China's JD.com beats revenue estimates on sales amid slowing economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A sign of China's e-commerce company JD.com is seen at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) Asia 2016 in Shanghai, China, May 12, 2016. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 16 (Reuters) - Chinese e-commerce firm JD.com (9618.HK), beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter revenue on Wednesday, as its focus on lower-priced products to attract customers amid an economic slowdown paid off. Revenue grew 7.6% to 287.9 billion yuan ($39.7 billion), compared with analysts' average estimate of 278.85 billion yuan, Refinitiv Eikon data showed. After China abandoned its stringent COVID-19 lockdown policies, consumption failed to rebound immediately amid a slowdown in the country's overall economy. Recent official economic data has also been gloomy, with consumer price index tipping into deflation in July.

Persons: Aly, JD.com, Yuvraj Malik, Sophie Yu, Vinay Dwivedi, Jason Neely Organizations: CES, REUTERS, HK, Wall, Revenue, Analysts, Thomson Locations: Asia, Shanghai, China, U.S, JD.com, Bengaluru, Beijing

☆ Analysis: Country Garden undone by promise to bring 5-star life to China's hinterland
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Clare Jim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The company logo of Chinese developer Country Garden is pictured at the Shanghai Country Garden Center in Shanghai, China August 9, 2023. Smaller Chinese cities, whose revenues have already been deteriorating, could have a glut of unfinished homes, a social problem Beijing is trying to avoid. But as China's economy started slowing during and after its COVID-19 lockdowns, property sales in those areas has plummeted along with values of the homes themselves. Country Garden's sales in 2020 were 570.7 billion yuan ($78.22 billion), but that slipped to 357.5 billion yuan in 2022. Country Garden has nearly 1 million homes to complete, according to estimates from Japanese investment bank Nomura.

Persons: Aly, HONG KONG, Oscar Choi, Yang Huiyan, Lu Ting, Nomura, Gerwin Bell, Clare Jim, Liangping Gao, Matt Tracy, Davide Barbuscia, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Shanghai Country Garden, REUTERS, Country, HK, National Bureau, Statistics, Partners Capital, China Evergrande, Oxford Economics, Nomura, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG, Beijing, Dezhou, Hong Kong, Asia, Washington, New York

Total refinery throughput in the world's second-largest oil consumer was 63.13 million metric tons last month, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed. Production was up slightly from the 14.83 million bpd of oil processed in June. Domestic fuel demand has picked up with the arrival of the summer travel season, notably in gasoline and jet fuel. China's crude oil imports in July pared back from close-to-record levels during the previous month, totalling 43.7 million metric tons, or 10.3 million bpd, according to the customs data. The NBS data on Tuesday also showed China's domestic crude oil production in July was 17.31 million metric tons, or 4.1 million bpd, versus 17.13 million metric tons in 2022.

Persons: Dominique Patton, refiners, Production, Andrew Hayley, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Shandong Haiyou Petrochemical Group, REUTERS, National Bureau of Statistics, Reuters, Zhuochuang, Thomson Locations: Shandong, county, Shandong province, China, BEIJING

☆ Shopify's ecosystem is about to face a major test: Large partners like Klaviyo are eying an IPO, while smaller startups may struggle to compete
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

As Shopify's app ecosystem matures, it's becoming a make-or-break moment for some developers and partners. If they succeed in the public markets, it's a positive sign for the Shopify ecosystem. Upcoming IPOs will be a testSome Shopify ecosystem companies are eying the public markets, even in a year when IPO activity has been slow. That will make it even more important for Shopify's app partners to ensure their solution is differentiated from competitors. "This shared focus is why we're committed to ensuring a healthy Shopify ecosystem that fosters innovation, scale, and speed."

Persons: Shopify, it's, it'll, Amit Jhawar, Ben Parr, Parr, lockdowns, Sid Murlidhar, we're, Chris Wattie, Jhawar, Glen Coates, It'll, Chris Grouchy, Convictional, Roger Kirkness, Rick Watson Organizations: Shopify, Reuters, Shopify Ventures, Global, RMW Commerce Consulting Locations: Klaviyo, Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, Shopify

☆ Have insurance, will travel: Here's why millennials and Gen Z are paying for trip coverage
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Piola666 | E+ | Getty ImagesDespite inflation, Gen Z and millennials are determined to travel this summer, even if it means spending a bit more. watch nowBy opting to buy travel insurance, younger people's plans are more protected, added Droesch. Pandemic leaves travel jitters in wakeMany travel plans were canceled during the Covid-19 pandemic and many disappointed buyers got no refunds, even if they had travel insurance because unforeseen events such as the Covid-19 lockdown weren't covered. Millennials are entering their 40s, and much of Gen Z have graduated college and are starting their careers. While travel insurance sounds like a good idea, travelers should be aware of the different types of travel insurance that exist and be sure of which type they buy.

Persons: Rome, Gen Zers, —, Mary Hines Droesch, Z, they're, Hopper, Hayley Berg, Berg, Millennials Organizations: Bank of America, Finance, College Locations: U.S

Official data on Friday showed the economy grew 0.2% in the second quarter, against the consensus for a flat reading in a Reuters poll of economists. The strong showing bolstered bets that the BoE would keep on raising interest rates, given the central bank stressed this month that resilience in the economy was one of the factors that would underpin its judgement. The central bank itself had pencilled in growth of 0.1% for the second quarter. "With much of the drag from higher interest rates still to come, we are sticking to our below-consensus forecast that the UK is heading for a mild recession later this year," said economist Ruth Gregory from consultancy Capital Economics. Reporting by Andy Bruce and David Milliken; editing by William James, Kate Holton and Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sterling, BoE, Neil Birrell, Jeremy Hunt, Ruth Gregory, Andy Bruce, David Milliken, William James, Kate Holton, Christina Fincher Organizations: Bank of England, U.S ., Reuters, Bank of, Miton, National Statistics, Manufacturing, Reuters Graphics, Capital Economics, Thomson Locations: Bank of England, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, United States

☆ The US economy seems to be getting a boost from Hollywood - but Hollywood is missing out
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hollywood seems to be boosting the US economy, but its home state of California is being left out. But Hollywood strikes over the last 100 days have likely dealt a $3 billion blow to California. The rush of moviegoers has helped boost the US economy, with consumers showing they're willing to spend. A 100-day strike among writers and actors in Hollywood has likely dealt a $3 billion blow to California's economy so far, experts say. A dream for the US but a nightmare for California: Hollywood is having a double-edged effect on the nation.

Persons: Oppenheimer, Greta Gerwing's, Barbie, Todd Holmes, CNBC's Organizations: Hollywood, Service, AMC Theatres, Guild of America, SAG Locations: California, Wall, Silicon, Hollywood

☆ China's heading for another real estate crisis — but it's on a whole different scale than what it's seen before
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Nidhi Pandurangi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Country Garden, a massive Chinese property developer, missed interest payments on two dollar bonds this week. However, it's the scale of Country Garden's projects that is a big warning signal for the Chinese real estate sector and the wider economy. Evergrande faced a liquidity crisis in 2020, prodding it to try to halve its around $100 billion debt by mid-2023. These efforts were scuppered by a slowdown in China's property sector and regulators' efforts to put brakes on property developers borrowing excessively. However, putting the brakes on borrowing started sending the property sector into a crisis.

Persons: Kristy Hung, Yang Guoqiang, Yang Huiyan, Yang, Moody's, Sandra Chow, Evergrande, Huileng Tan Organizations: Service, Bloomberg Intelligence, Hong Kong Stock Exchange, CNN, China Index Academy, Reuters, Pacific Research, New York Times, Caixa Bank Locations: Beijing, Wall, Silicon, China, Evergrande, Foshan, Asia, Pacific, CreditSights

NEW YORK/LONDON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Lean times faced by many U.S. and European companies may last longer than expected as they try to sell off their bulging inventories in an economic climate where demand is stalling. Full-to-bursting warehouses means fewer orders for manufacturers, which translates into lower levels of business activity and, ultimately, weaker growth. Now, global demand is falling as borrowing costs have risen, so companies have started running down stocks. Maersk controls about one-sixth of global container trade, transporting goods for a host of major retailers and consumer goods companies. Refinitiv I/B/E/S data shows U.S. and European companies are expected to report their worst quarterly results in years.

Persons: Vincent Clerc, Hugo Boss, Moller, Stanley Black, Decker, destocking, Levi Strauss, Rajiv Sharma, Arun Sundaram, Guillermo Novo, Cyrus de la Rubia, Siddharth Cavale, David Gaffen, Josephine Mason, Mark John, Jonathan Cable, Helen Reid, Jane Merriman Organizations: U.S, Maersk, Heineken, 3M, . Bureau of Labor Statistics, CFRA Research, Retailers, BASF, London, Rutgers University, Hamburg Commercial Bank, doesn't, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, U.S, United States, Ashland, Hamburg, New York, London

Search resuls for: "-19 l"

25 mentions found